History of Vernon Army Camp can be traced back more than 100 years

This week’s vintage video is a homegrown episode featuring the Vernon Army Camp.

The camp's history dates back to the early 1900s, when troops first trained on Mission Hill in 1912.

Vernon videographer and historian Francois Arseneault has unearthed footage of the camp from 1979.

Arseneault, who is also a military historian, has a personal connection to the camp as he trained there as a teen.

The colour film footage that Arseneault has converted to digital opens with a group of cadets as they arrive at the Kelowna airport for six weeks of training.

“The cadet camp has been active since 1949 and is today the oldest cadet training centre in the country,” says Arseneault.

“This footage was captured by Cpt. Cam Leblond, a name that will be familiar to folks in Vernon. Leblond Studios was a longtime business started by Cam’s father in 1910. After Second World War service with the RCAF, Cam was employed as the camp’s public affairs officer from 1952 to his retirement in 1981.”

The camp holds many memories for young Canadians who attended over the years.

The first day of camp is spent getting a check up from the medical staff at the camp hospital and receiving all the kit required for training from quartermaster stores for the summer.

“These teenagers volunteer and apply to come to camp, they spend hours every day learning new skills, skills that will enrich them as adults,” says Arseneault. “Teamwork and leadership, first aid, fieldcraft, map and compass, rappelling and much more is taught over the six weeks.”

Arseneault is always looking for more information on the vintage footage he digs up, and he encourages people to add their input in the comments section on his Youtube page.

Anyone who may have old 16 mm or 8 mm film footage of the Vernon and Okanagan area is invited to email Arseneault at [email protected].